The process of improvement is
a relatively simple one. The process of evaluation is not. To
improve a player must address one’s weaknesses while continuing
to focus on the overall development of one’s game. There are a
number of important factors that contribute to that development:
work ethic, dedication, etc. These characteristics usually come
from within and will carry over into every facet of one’s life.
In most cases, a player relies on evaluation from others to
determine what one needs to work on. Coaches, parents and
friends can provide feedback to guide one on the road it takes
to get better. It is here where trouble can begin. Hockey
coaches and parents are strongly devoted to the game and their
opinions reflect their passions their biases. While one coach
may think power skating is necessary, another may eschew more
practice time.Some of
the best tools for evaluating one’s strengths and weaknesses are
the 10-yard dash, vertical jump, long jump, pull-up test,
cadence push-up test and 300-yard shuttle test.
The 10-yard dash is a simple test of acceleration. From a
standstill, with a stopwatch (or electronic timer), a young
hockey player can quantify how well one accelerates. Very rarely
will a hockey player reach full speed on the ice, as he or she
spends the entire game speeding up and slowing down. Every
tested pro hockey player that was fast on the ground was fast on
the ice, including current NHL skaters Bill Guerin, Sergei
Samsonov, Mike Sullivan, Jay Pandolfo and Shawn Bates. All would
have been very good sprinters as well as being explosive
skaters.
The vertical jump and long jump tests measure one’s leg power. A
long vertical jump and a speedy 10-yard dash always equal a fast
skater. Once a player takes the jumping tests, he or she will
know how much leg, hip and torso work is necessary for
improvement.
The pull-up test examines shoulder strength and the possibility
of shoulder injury. Palms away from one’s body and hanging with
one’s arms completely straight, the number of times an athlete
can pull his or her chin over the bar will be the score. With
untrained females early in development, using a chin-up grip
(palms toward one’s body) is acceptable. For motivation, know
that most of the members of the 1998 and 2002 women’s U.S.
Olympic teams could perform in excess of eight pull-ups, with
some recording as many as 16.
The cadence push-up test is a simple test to separate the strong
athletes from those who just bench press well. From the “up”
push-up position, the athlete will lower oneself into the “down”
position and stay there until being told to come “up” by a
spotter. This process will occur as many times as possible using
a stopwatch and a one second cadence for each up or down
command. This quickly becomes a difficult test and eliminates
the advantage larger athletes will have in the bench press.
The 300-yard shuttle test is a fantastic test because it
combines elements of speed, agility and stamina. On a 25-yard
course, field or court, an athlete will run 25 yards, change
direction and return to the start six times continuously for a
recorded time. After a complete recovery of five minutes, the
athlete repeats the same test. The results will indicate an
average time, a difference (in most cases) between the first and
second shuttle and reveal how well the athlete changes
direction. In an anaerobic game, this is a great anaerobic test.
These are valid, easy-to-use performance indicators that can
help evaluate an athlete without using much equipment or time.
Once a player has identified his or her strengths and
weaknesses, a qualified strength and conditioning coach can help
build a program that meets one’s needs. And remember: average
players will continue to do what they want, while the greats
ones will work on what they need. |
